Jennifer Gasner is an award-winning author, disability advocate, and inspiring voice for resilience, hope, and determination.
Diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia—a rare, progressive neuromuscular disease—at just 17, Jennifer turned adversity into opportunity. She earned her BA in English from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and MS in Recreation from Western Illinois University before moving to California in 2001. There, she worked for various nonprofits and at UC San Diego. She also became involved with the local disability community. In 2020, she became an ambassador for Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA).
A multi-faceted talent, Jennifer’s debut memoir, My Unexpected Life: Finding Balance Beyond My Diagnosis, has won several awards, including The Chrysalis BREW Project Nonfiction Book of the Year Award, a Literary Titan Gold Book Award and finalist spots for the Eric Hoffer and National Indie Excellence Awards. The book also hit #1 on Amazon’s Bestseller List and featured in prominent outlets like the San Diego Tribune.
Active in the literary community, Jennifer is a member of the International Memoir Writers Association and was named Author of the Month at the San Diego Library. This one-on-one interview shares Jennifer’s background and experience writing My Unexpected Life: Finding Balance Beyond My Diagnosis.
Tell us about My Unexpected Life: Finding Balance Beyond My Diagnosis.
At seventeen, my dreams were shattered overnight.
I received a diagnosis of Friedreich’s ataxia, a rare genetic neuromuscular disease, and as a result, I began to prepare myself for a life of loss. When I started college, I was still able to walk on my own, but I turned to alcohol and a toxic relationship to distract myself from what I refused to accept—that my body, self-esteem, and hope for the future were failing. As the disease progressed on the outside, inside, I spiraled further into sadness, denial, and alienation, though I maintained my smile.When I developed a friendship with rock star Dave Matthews, my outlook began to change. I began to understand that using a wheelchair didn’t mean my life was over. When I discovered disability culture, I realized that it wasn’t my body that needed to be fixed but my assumptions about being disabled. In the book, I invite readers into my world as I learn to view my changing body with compassion, choose gratitude over anger, and find strength and acceptance in a whole new way of moving through life.
How did your background and experience influence your writing?
I have always enjoyed writing—dabbling in poetry and majoring in English. I wanted to share personal stories that depicted the life of someone with a disability in a positive light, rather than focusing on tragedy or sadness. In 2002, I took a screenwriting class where one of my classmates, a literary agent, expressed interest in one of my pieces and asked if I had ever considered writing a book.
Fast forward 12 years, and I found myself motivated to pursue the memoir genre after recognizing the need for more first-person memoirs about disability. I enrolled in a memoir writing class, completed a certificate program in memoir writing, and participated in read-and-critique sessions for several years afterward.
Ultimately, my goal in sharing my story was to let anyone experiencing a similar situation know that they are not alone.
What is one message you would like readers to remember?
Society often expects little from the disabled community; however, people with disabilities have inherent value and are deserving of love and respect.
Disabled people do not always need to be cured or conform to typical standards of humanity.
Leading a fulfilling life with a disability is possible.
It is my hope that people will see disability as another aspect of diversity and create a more inclusive world.
Purchasing the Book
My Unexpected Life: Finding Balance Beyond My Diagnosis has received positive reviews from well-known literary organizations, authors, and reviewers around the world. BookLife Reviews writes, “Gasner’s writing is as inspiring as it is emotionally powerful…her story is ultimately one of overcoming.” In addition, Independent Book Review writes, “A refreshing coming-of-age memoir exploring young love, college, and careers while navigating a progressing disability.”
The book is available for sale on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple iBooks, Kobo, and other online bookstores. Readers are encouraged to purchase their copy today: https://www.amazon.com/My-Unexpected-Life-Finding-Diagnosis/dp/B0CCCPG1ZJ/
To connect with Jennifer and learn more about her work, visit: https://jennifergasner.com/. You can also find her on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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